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What Router Should I Buy?

The best type of wireless router that you should buy is one that meets your needs. To determine exactly what kind of router that is, you need to consider the following factors before you buy a wifi router:

Wireless Network

The wireless network refers to the frequencies through which wireless connections are made. When it comes to wireless connectivity, wireless routers are divided into four groups. Routers marked as 802.11b and 802.11g are those that connect through the 2.4GHz band, while those that are marked as 802.11b are those that use the 5GHz band. The last group is composed of 802.11n routers, the newer types of routers that can use both.

As much as possible, buy an 802.11n router or commonly known as a wireless n router so you can choose between the two types of bands. The 2.4GHz frequency tends to be really crowded, so you are free to try the 5GHz frequency if you want a faster connection.

Router Speed

Routers are usually marked with numbers that indicate their speed. In the past, most routers use the standard speed of 300 Mbps. This means that in a room without interference, the router can achieve up to 300 Mbps of speed. Lately, this maximum speed level has increased to up to 900 Mbps. You can also see some that can achieve up to 450 Mbps.

As much as possible, buy an 900 Mbps type of wireless router. If you can’t find one, a 450 Mbps would be sufficient as long as you don’t require high-speed connections. You may also want to invest in a dual band router with speeds of 450 Mbps on each of the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz bands, giving you a total speed of 900 Mbps.

However, keep your expectations in check as routers are not able to achieve those speeds in the real world due to channel overlaps and interference.

Router Security

Routers use different types of securities to keep your network protected, and this is another source of confusion for router buyers. The highest level of security these days is WPA2, which most new routers are already able to support.

If you have kids in your household and you want to protect them from inappropriate materials on the Internet, you should also look for a router with built-in parental controls. D-Link, a home-friendly brand, has lots of models offering this feature.

Router Setup and Management

Basic home users who don’t know much about routers should look for one that is easy to set up, while a tech-savvy user will do better with a more sophisticated router that allows more configuration options so the user can customize it. The Netgear N900 and the Linksys E4200 are both known for their easy setups that require just a few clicks. There are some routers too that allow manual setups and provide lots of customization options.

If you are looking for the top routers for your home then visit http://www.theproductsite.com for expert friendly advice that will explain to you which router is the best for your gaming needs.

This site aims to help customers find the best wireless routers for them by offering a needs-oriented shopping experience. The product site also offers a range of articles, tips, port forwarding advice and resources to guide users on finding the right type of router for them for streaming (YouTube, Xbox Live), downloading (Bit torrent, Microsoft DLC) or online gaming (Xbox, PS3, Wii, U, PC, Mac) needs.